Podcast appearances and mentions of Michael Pollan

American author, journalist, activist, and professor of journalism

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Michael Pollan

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Latest podcast episodes about Michael Pollan

On with Kara Swisher
Music, Consciousness and the Power of Connection

On with Kara Swisher

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2026 61:30


How should we understand the relationship among sound, consciousness and a healthy mind? It has to do with the power of connection, not just to other people but the world around us. In this episode of the Hacking Longevity series, Kara talks to Dr. AZA Allsop, an artist and psychiatrist who runs a lab at Yale that studies how music and sound can affect mental well-being and the power of connections we feel with other people.  Later, she talks to science journalist Michael Pollan, author of A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness. He goes deep on what makes the brain work, and he has some very interesting thoughts on whether machines could become sentient. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hot Farm
How food became a right-wing movement, with Michael Pollan

Hot Farm

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2026 49:32


It's been 20 years since Michael Pollan published The Omnivore's Dilemma, a book that drove a huge shift in how Americans thought about food and agriculture. He joins us to discuss how his ideas have been adopted across the spectrum of American food politics. Plus: psychedelics, consciousness, and Theodore's favorite dim sum spot in Brooklyn.

ZOE Science & Nutrition
Why you can't stop eating: The science of cravings, food addiction and 5 ways to regain control | Michael Pollan & Prof Tim Spector

ZOE Science & Nutrition

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2026 52:42


If you feel like you can't stop eating, constantly crave junk food, or struggle with overeating, this episode will change how you see food.  Michael Pollan, one of the world's most influential science writers, joins Professor Tim Spector to explain how ultra-processed food may drive food addiction, override fullness signals, and keep us craving more. Together, they explore why foods high in sugar, salt, and fat can feel so hard to resist, and what we can do to fight back. Michael and Tim unpack how the modern food system changed over the last 50 years, and why many ultra-processed foods are designed around “craveability.” They explain how these foods may stimulate the brain's reward systems, why fibre and plants help us feel fuller, and why cooking more meals at home may help reduce overeating without calorie counting. The episode includes practical ways to regain control of your eating habits, reduce cravings, feel better and live more healthy years. If your cravings feel impossible to control, is it really a lack of willpower, or is modern food engineered to keep us coming back for more?

Bioneers: Revolution From the Heart of Nature | Bioneers Radio Series

The infinitely curious author and science writer Michael Pollan embraces the mystery at the heart of the great mystery of life: What is the nature of consciousness? And how can we understand consciousness when our only tool is our own consciousness? Joined by interviewer and UC Berkeley Psychology Professor Dacher Keltner.

The Book Review
The Ezra Klein Show: Michael Pollan's Journey to the Borderlands of Consciousness

The Book Review

Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2026 88:58


Today we are delighted to share an episode from our colleagues on “The Ezra Klein Show,” originally published on March 31. Ezra interviewed author Michael Pollan, whose best-selling books include “The Omnivore's Dilemma,” “In Defense of Food,” and “How to Change Your Mind.” Pollan's latest book, “A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness,” came out earlier this year. It's an exploration of what consciousness is, and the book is — as our review put it — “highly pleasurable to read.” Mentioned in the episode: “The Descriptive Experience Sampling method” by Russell T. Hurlburt and Sarah A. Akhter “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?” by Thomas Nagel The Hidden Spring by Mark Solms Descartes' Error by Antonio Damasio “The Oxford Handbook of Spontaneous Thought” by Kalina Christoff and Kieran C. R. Fox Book Recommendations: The Blind Spot by Adam Frank, Marcelo Gleiser and Evan Thompson Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann Being You by Anil Seth You can find transcripts and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs. This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Kristin Lin. Fact-checking by Kim Freda. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota and Isaac Jones. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show's production team also includes Marie Cascione, Annie Galvin, Michelle Harris, Rollin Hu, Emma Kehlbeck, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Listen to and Follow the “Book Review” Podcast Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio We Want to Hear From You We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Review's podcast in general. You can send them to thebookreview@nytimes.com. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SGP2020
Michael Pollan # Nào Tối Nay Ăn Gì Thế Lưỡng Nan Của Loài Ăn Tạp

SGP2020

Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2026


Tổng hợp podcast tóm tắt sách từ SGP.

On Being with Krista Tippett
Michael Pollan — The Mystery of Consciousness

On Being with Krista Tippett

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2026 74:02


From Krista: Michael Pollan's latest book, A World Appears, is an exploration — with scientists and journalists and technologists and spiritual teachers — of what consciousness is, and is not, or might be: from the plants which have always fascinated him, to the new technologies which we are marveling at and fearing in equal measure. Do sentience, feeling, thought, or a sense of self amount to consciousness? Does it emerge from inside us? Or is it a force beyond us, in which we partake?  Before a rapt gathering in New York City, we explored where Michael has come on these questions and others. The word “mystery” kept landing the longer we spoke, and I brought some intriguing (and somewhat mysterious) conversations I've been having with Anthropic's Claude briefly near the end. I'm delighted to bring you into that room with us now. I spoke with Michael at the W Hotel New York, Union Square. Our conversation was hosted by the Perfect Earth Project, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting chemical-free ecological gardening, as part of its Grounded Conversations series in collaboration with the W Hotel Union Square. Perfect Earth Project was founded and is led by visionary landscape architect and designer Edwina von Gal. Learn more at perfectearthproject.org. This episode was produced by Chris Heagle, Zack Rose, Carla Zanoni, Andrea Prevost, Daryl Chen, and Ron Passaro.  Sign yourself and others up for The Pause to be on our mailing list for all things On Being and to receive Krista's monthly Saturday newsletter, including a heads up on new episodes, special offerings, recommendations, and event invitations.  Find an excellent transcript of this show, edited by humans, on our show page. Michael Pollan is the author of culture-shaping books, including The Botany of Desire, The Omnivore's Dilemma, and How to Change Your Mind. His new book is A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness. He is the John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism and the director of the Knight Program in Science and Environmental Journalism. In 2020, he co-founded the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics with Dacher Keltner and others.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Town Hall Seattle Science Series
258. Michael Pollan with Jon Mooallem: A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness

Town Hall Seattle Science Series

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2026 80:51


When it comes to the phenomenon that is consciousness, there is one point on which scientists, philosophers, and artists all agree: it feels like something to be us. Yet the fact that we have a subjective experience of the world remains one of nature's greatest mysteries. How is it that our mental operations are accompanied by feelings, thoughts, and a sense of self? What would a scientific investigation of our inner life look like when we have as little distance and perspective on it as fish do of the sea? In A World Appears, Michael Pollan traces the unmapped continent that is consciousness, bringing radically different perspectives—scientific, philosophical, literary, spiritual, and psychedelic—to see what each can teach us about this central fact of life. When neuroscientists began studying consciousness in the early 1990s, they sought to explain how and why three pounds of spongy gray matter could generate a subjective point of view — assuming that the brain is the source of our perceived reality. Pollan takes us to the cutting edge of the field, where scientists are entertaining more radical (and less materialist) theories of consciousness. He introduces us to "plant neurobiologists" searching for the first flicker of consciousness in plants, scientists striving to engineer feelings into AI, and psychologists and novelists seeking to capture the felt experience of our slippery stream of consciousness. In Pollan's exploration of consciousness, he discovers a world far deeper and stranger than our everyday reality. Eye-opening and mind-expanding, A World Appears takes us into the laboratories of our own minds, ultimately showing us how we might make better use of the gift of awareness to more meaningfully connect with our deepest selves. Michael Pollan is the author of ten books, including This Is Your Mind on Plants, How to Change Your Mind, Cooked, Food Rules, In Defense of Food, The Omnivore's Dilemma, and The Botany of Desire, all of which were New York Times bestsellers. He is also the author of the audiobook Caffeine. A Guggenheim and Radcliffe Fellow, Pollan has taught writing at the University of California, Berkeley, and at Harvard University. In 2010, Time named him one of the one hundred most influential people in the world. Jon Mooallem is the author of three books, Wild Ones, This is Chance! and the essay collection Serious Face. He lives on Bainbridge Island.  Buy the Book A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness Elliott Bay Book Company

TechSequences
Lived Experience, Synthetic Logic: The Illusion of Moral AI

TechSequences

Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2026 41:48


Author and journalist Michael Pollan characterizes our era as the “Second Copernican Shock,” a civilizational turning point where the boundary between human empathy and algorithmic calculation is increasingly blurred. From AI companions like ElliQ providing “virtual hugs” to the elderly, to “moral machines” tasked with navigating life-and-death dilemmas, we are entering a global experiment in the outsourcing of ethics and accountability. As we delegate our conscience to systems that exist outside the weight of consequence—systems not haunted by regret nor soothed by redemption—are we experiencing a dangerous “ethical de-skilling”? And if so, what are the consequences? Join us for a conversation with Dr. Robert Sparrow, Professor of Philosophy, and Associate Investigator in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society at Monash University,  and founding member of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control. Hosted by: Alexa Raad and Leslie Daigle. Further reading: Michael Pollan warns humanity is on the brink of a radical shift She's 85, and Her Roommate Is a Robot Why machines cannot be moral Robots and Respect: Assessing the Case Against Autonomous Weapons Systems Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation Minotaurs, Not Centaurs: The Myth of Human-AI Teaming The views and opinions expressed in this program are our own and may not reflect the views or positions of our employers.

Making Sense with Sam Harris
#475 — The Hard Problem of Consciousness

Making Sense with Sam Harris

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 25:52


Sam Harris speaks with Michael Pollan about consciousness, the mind, and the self. They discuss Pollan's new book, the relationship between consciousness and intelligence, whether consciousness is a product of evolution, the role of psychedelics in consciousness research, AI and the question of machine consciousness, the illusion of the self, and other topics. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.

The Mind Gut Conversation Podcast
What if Consciousness Starts in Your Gut, Not Your Brain? with Michael Pollan | MGC Ep. 117

The Mind Gut Conversation Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 46:34


Consciousness is one of science's deepest mysteries — and it may be under threat.In this episode of The Mind–Gut Conversation, Dr. Mayer is joined by Michael Pollan, author and one of our most important thinkers on the relationship between humans and the natural world, to discuss consciousness, the subject of Michael's latest book.They explore what consciousness actually is, how it differs from sentience and intelligence, and why the gut operates with remarkable sophistication outside conscious awareness. Michael explains how his lifelong interest in plants, food, and psychedelics eventually led him to confront fundamental questions about awareness — including why humans seem evolutionarily driven to alter their consciousness despite the obvious risks.But the conversation takes a contemporary turn when Michael describes his growing concern that technology platforms — social media, smartphones, AI chatbots — are eroding human consciousness by keeping us in a state of minimal awareness for hours each day. He argues that corporations are monetizing our headspace, fragmenting our attention, and undermining our ability to think independently and connect authentically.Michael also discusses his personal meditation practice and why caring for consciousness is not about withdrawing from the world, but strengthening our capacity to engage with it responsibly.This episode offers an essential, wide-ranging exploration of consciousness, attention, the brain-gut connection, and what it means to be fully human in an age of unprecedented distraction.Topics discussed include:• What consciousness is and how it differs from sentience• Why the gut's intelligence operates outside awareness• How plants and animals co-evolve with humans• Why humans seek altered states of consciousness• The relationship between interoception and consciousness• How technology threatens human awareness and attention• Why meditation strengthens engagement with the worldThis is a thought-provoking discussion for anyone interested in consciousness, the mind-body connection, and preserving human awareness in a distracted world.—————————————————————————————Connect with Dr. Mayer:Website: https://www.emeranmayer.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/emeranmayer/X: https://www.x.com/emeranmayermdFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmeranMayerMD/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emeranmayer/—————————————————————————————Chapters:0:00 - Introduction2:48 - From Gardens to Consciousness: Michael's Journey6:08 - Do Plants Manipulate Humans?8:27 - Sentience vs. Consciousness13:32 - Why Humans Alter Consciousness18:36 - The Brain-Gut Connection and Consciousness25:42 - What Is Consciousness Really For?33:06 - Different Forms of Consciousness in Nature40:20 - Is Consciousness Under Threat from Technology?43:51 - Defending Consciousness in an Age of Distraction45:41 - Michael's Personal Meditation Practice46:21 - Closing Remarks

The Mind Gut Conversation Podcast
What if Consciousness Starts in Your Gut, Not Your Brain? with Michael Pollan | MGC Ep. 117

The Mind Gut Conversation Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 46:34


Consciousness is one of science's deepest mysteries — and it may be under threat.In this episode of The Mind–Gut Conversation, Dr. Mayer is joined by Michael Pollan, author and one of our most important thinkers on the relationship between humans and the natural world, to discuss consciousness, the subject of Michael's latest book.They explore what consciousness actually is, how it differs from sentience and intelligence, and why the gut operates with remarkable sophistication outside conscious awareness. Michael explains how his lifelong interest in plants, food, and psychedelics eventually led him to confront fundamental questions about awareness — including why humans seem evolutionarily driven to alter their consciousness despite the obvious risks.But the conversation takes a contemporary turn when Michael describes his growing concern that technology platforms — social media, smartphones, AI chatbots — are eroding human consciousness by keeping us in a state of minimal awareness for hours each day. He argues that corporations are monetizing our headspace, fragmenting our attention, and undermining our ability to think independently and connect authentically.Michael also discusses his personal meditation practice and why caring for consciousness is not about withdrawing from the world, but strengthening our capacity to engage with it responsibly.This episode offers an essential, wide-ranging exploration of consciousness, attention, the brain-gut connection, and what it means to be fully human in an age of unprecedented distraction.Topics discussed include:• What consciousness is and how it differs from sentience• Why the gut's intelligence operates outside awareness• How plants and animals co-evolve with humans• Why humans seek altered states of consciousness• The relationship between interoception and consciousness• How technology threatens human awareness and attention• Why meditation strengthens engagement with the worldThis is a thought-provoking discussion for anyone interested in consciousness, the mind-body connection, and preserving human awareness in a distracted world.—————————————————————————————Connect with Dr. Mayer:Website: https://www.emeranmayer.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/emeranmayer/X: https://www.x.com/emeranmayermdFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmeranMayerMD/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emeranmayer/—————————————————————————————Chapters:0:00 - Introduction2:48 - From Gardens to Consciousness: Michael's Journey6:08 - Do Plants Manipulate Humans?8:27 - Sentience vs. Consciousness13:32 - Why Humans Alter Consciousness18:36 - The Brain-Gut Connection and Consciousness25:42 - What Is Consciousness Really For?33:06 - Different Forms of Consciousness in Nature40:20 - Is Consciousness Under Threat from Technology?43:51 - Defending Consciousness in an Age of Distraction45:41 - Michael's Personal Meditation Practice46:21 - Closing Remarks

Mystic Pirates
Season 11 Episode 5: How to change your mind with fungi

Mystic Pirates

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2026 48:38


Send us Fan MailIn this week's episode, Lance and Jacklyn discuss the discovery, history, and impact of psychedelic mushrooms on our culture and the evolution of consciousness.  Jacklyn discusses Michael Pollan's incredibly written book: How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence.  Lance and Jacklyn share their personal thoughts and feelings on the subject and reflect on it's potential to help heal the world.Stay tuned for this week's Treasure Chest for a recommendation that is right on point.

The Rachel Maddow Show
Introducing WITHpod: The AI End Game

The Rachel Maddow Show

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026 1:16


AI – and coverage of it – is everywhere. But what is artificial intelligence, really, beyond the buzzword? Each week, in a special new miniseries - ‘The AI End Game' - Chris Hayes is joined by preeminent experts on AI and its effects to help make sense of this revolutionary time in history. The series will feature in-depth conversations with experts, including: The Atlantic journalist Derek Thompson; professor at Wharton and New York Times bestselling author Ethan Mollick, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and member of the Berkeley AI Research Group Alison Gopnik; former co-lead of the Ethical Artificial Intelligence Team at Google and co-founder of Black in AI Timnit Gebru; philosopher and cognitive scientist David Chalmers; author, host of the “Better Offline” podcast and writer of the “Where's Your Ed At” newsletter, Ed Zitron; The New York Times journalist and author, Michael Pollan, and more. The first episode is available now wherever you get your podcasts.  Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Prosecuting Donald Trump
Introducing WITHpod: The AI End Game

Prosecuting Donald Trump

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026 1:16


AI – and coverage of it – is everywhere. But what is artificial intelligence, really, beyond the buzzword? Each week, in a special new miniseries - ‘The AI End Game' - Chris Hayes is joined by preeminent experts on AI and its effects to help make sense of this revolutionary time in history. The series will feature in-depth conversations with experts, including: The Atlantic journalist Derek Thompson; professor at Wharton and New York Times bestselling author Ethan Mollick, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and member of the Berkeley AI Research Group Alison Gopnik; former co-lead of the Ethical Artificial Intelligence Team at Google and co-founder of Black in AI Timnit Gebru; philosopher and cognitive scientist David Chalmers; author, host of the “Better Offline” podcast and writer of the “Where's Your Ed At” newsletter, Ed Zitron; The New York Times journalist and author, Michael Pollan, and more. The first episode is available now wherever you get your podcasts.  Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here & Now
Psychedelics and the future of medicine

Here & Now

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026 23:58


The Food and Drug Administration says it is offering an “ultra-fast review” of two psychedelic drugs intended to treat serious mental health disorders. This follows a White House executive order directing the FDA to speed up research on psychedelics, which right now are illegal under federal law. Dr. Gail Saltz talks about the latest news surrounding psychedelics. Then, what happens when we open our eyes? Is consciousness something that can be pinpointed and studied? These are the questions science author Michael Pollan explores in his new book. He talks about "A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness."See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The Current
Michael Pollan on the labyrinth of human consciousness

The Current

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2026 27:10


Why is it so hard for us humans to come to grips with what it means to be conscious? Bestselling author Michael Pollan talks to Matt Galloway about how scientists have tried - and often failed - to unlock the mysteries of consciousness, whether plants could be considered conscious, and why he believes that we need to "defend" human consciousness against those who may try to simulate it with computers and AI.

Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes
Introducing WITHpod: The AI End Game

Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2026 1:16


We're excited to announce a new special WITHpod series, "The AI End Game: Power, Profit, and Progress." AI – and coverage of it – is everywhere. But what is artificial intelligence, really, beyond the buzzword? Each week, we'll be joined by preeminent experts on AI and its effects to help make sense of this revolutionary time in history. The series will feature in-depth conversations with experts, including: The Atlantic journalist Derek Thompson; professor at Wharton and New York Times bestselling author Ethan Mollick, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and member of the Berkeley AI Research Group Alison Gopnik; former co-lead of the Ethical Artificial Intelligence Team at Google and co-founder of Black in AI Timnit Gebru; philosopher and cognitive scientist David Chalmers; author, host of the “Better Offline” podcast and writer of the “Where's Your Ed At” newsletter, Ed Zitron; The New York Times journalist and author, Michael Pollan, and more.    Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All In with Chris Hayes
Introducing WITHpod: The AI End Game

All In with Chris Hayes

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2026 1:16


We're excited to announce a new special WITHpod series, "The AI End Game: Power, Profit, and Progress." AI – and coverage of it – is everywhere. But what is artificial intelligence, really, beyond the buzzword? Each week, we'll be joined by preeminent experts on AI and its effects to help make sense of this revolutionary time in history. The series will feature in-depth conversations with experts, including: The Atlantic journalist Derek Thompson; professor at Wharton and New York Times bestselling author Ethan Mollick, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and member of the Berkeley AI Research Group Alison Gopnik; former co-lead of the Ethical Artificial Intelligence Team at Google and co-founder of Black in AI Timnit Gebru; philosopher and cognitive scientist David Chalmers; author, host of the “Better Offline” podcast and writer of the “Where's Your Ed At” newsletter, Ed Zitron; The New York Times journalist and author, Michael Pollan, and more.  Want more of Chris? Download and follow his podcast, “Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes podcast” wherever you get your podcasts.To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Harvest Series
We are back very soon!

Harvest Series

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 0:52


Harvest Series is coming back.After a short pause following Season 9, featuring inspiring voices such as Golshifteh Farahani, Satish Kumar and Aaron Maté, the podcast returns soon with a brand new season.Season 10 will be recorded live, from May 13th-17th, at the next Harvest gathering, dedicated to the theme of imagination.Among the upcoming voices: Michael Pollan, Suleika Jaouad and many more!The event will take place in Kaplankaya, on the South Aegean coast of Turkey.→ Discover the event: harvestseries.comSee you very soon for Season 10.

The Daily Motivation
Depression, Anxiety, and Addiction Might All Be the Same Thing | Michael Pollan

The Daily Motivation

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2026 6:16


Leave an Amazon Rating or Review for my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy! Check out the full episode: https://greatness.lnk.to/1916DM Your habits are keeping you alive. They're also keeping you stuck. Michael Pollan makes a case that rattles the foundation of modern psychiatry: depression, anxiety, addiction, and OCD may not be separate diseases at all. They might be four faces of the same thing. A mind locked in rigid patterns, running the same destructive loops on repeat. The fix isn't just willpower. Pollan points to something more fundamental: morning sunlight, movement, sleep, and in therapeutic settings, the emerging science of psychedelic medicine, which appears to do something no antidepressant can. It breaks the habit at the root. New thought patterns become possible. New behavior follows. That's where real healing starts. Sign up for the Greatness newsletter: http://www.greatness.com/newsletter Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

RNZ: Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan
Feature Interview: What is that voice in our heads?

RNZ: Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2026 27:59


Of all the mysteries in all the world, the greatest one of all may be how our brains produce the feeling of being you. What is consciousness, the voice in our heads? Who better to go explore the mystery than Michael Pollan. His deep sense of curiosity has sent him searching for answers with acclaimed books on food, plants, and mind-altering substances. These questions are taking on even more urgency with the rise of artificial intelligence. Pollan guides readers through the latest science and biggest debates around consciousness, what it is, who has it, and where does it come from, in his newest book, A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness.

After Words
What is conciousness? with Michael Pollan

After Words

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2026 64:50


Author Michael Pollan ("A World Appears") discussed the science of consciousness and the human experience with bestselling author Michael Lewis. This event took place at the New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

C-SPAN Bookshelf
AW: What is conciousness? with Michael Pollan

C-SPAN Bookshelf

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2026 64:20


Author Michael Pollan ("A World Appears") discussed the science of consciousness and the human experience with bestselling author Michael Lewis. This event took place at the New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes
Why Your "Healthy" Foods Are Making You Sick | Michael Pollan

The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2026 102:56


Michael Pollan cuts through nutrition confusion and exposes the uncomfortable truth: ultra processed foods now make up more than 60% of the American diet, and they're engineered to manipulate your body and brain. Most foods you think are healthy, like plant-based burgers with 21 synthetic ingredients and diet sodas that trick your metabolism, are actually sabotaging your health and creating cravings that trap you in a cycle of poor eating. Your gut microbiome holds the key to everything from your weight to your mental health, and it's starving without the 30 different plants per week it needs to thrive. By understanding how food companies exploit your evolutionary instincts for sweetness and fat, you can reclaim control and use Pollan's seven-word mantra to make choices that honor both pleasure and nutrition. The transformation begins when you stop lying to your body about what you're eating and start thinking of food as medicine rather than entertainment. Michael's books: This Is Your Mind on Plants How to Change Your Mind Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation Food Rules: An Eater's Manual In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto The Omnivore's Dilemma The Botany of Desire In this episode you will: Identify the hidden ingredients in "healthy" foods that are actually toxic to your body Learn why diet sodas sabotage weight loss faster than regular soda Discover the 10 trillion organisms in your gut that control your mood and metabolism Master Michael Pollan's seven-word mantra for eating real food Understand how to retrain your appetite signals to stop overeating at every meal For more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1916 For more Greatness text PODCAST to +1 (614) 350-3960 Follow The Daily Motivation for essential highlights from The School of Greatness More SOG episodes we think you'll love: Dr. David Perlmutter Glucose Goddess Dr. Jessica Knurick Get more from Lewis! Get my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy!Get The Greatness Mindset audiobook on SpotifyText Lewis AIYouTubeInstagramWebsiteTiktokFacebookX Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Leader | Evening Standard daily
BNW Preview: Michael Pollan

The Leader | Evening Standard daily

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2026 14:05


For Episode Nine, Evgeny is joined by Michael Pollan, journalist, author, and one of the leading voices exploring the human mind. Drawing on his new book A World Appears, Pollan makes an impassioned case for consciousness as something precious, private, and increasingly under threat. Together, they explore how social media and AI are not just competing for our attention, but beginning to shape attachment, emotion, and even our sense of self.The conversation ranges from chatbots and “AI psychosis” to meditation, psychedelics, and the idea of “consciousness hygiene” - the habits and practices that might help us protect our inner lives. Pollan also reflects on why writing is a form of thinking, why boredom and mind-wandering matter, and how experiences of ego dissolution, art, and nature can deepen our understanding of consciousness. The episode ends on a wider question: whether the real challenge is not only understanding consciousness, but learning how to practise it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda
Michael Pollan: The mystery and marvel of consciousness

Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2026 37:08


Best known for his writings on food – and for his crisp summation of advice for healthy eating – “Eat food. Not too much. Mainly plants” – he has now taken a deep and very personal dive into the nature of consciousness. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Big Tech
Michael Pollan Says AI Isn't Conscious – But Plants Might Be

Big Tech

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2026 40:09


Four years ago, a Google engineer named Blake Lemoine went public with a strange claim: he thought the large language model he'd been working on had become sentient. At the time, virtually no one took him seriously. (Including, it would seem, Google, who promptly fired him). But lately, it's started to seem like Lemoine might have been on to something. When I interviewed Geoffrey Hinton last year, he was pretty confident that artificial intelligence was already exhibiting signs of sentience. Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, has said that he can't be sure that his chatbot, Claude, isn't conscious. But what exactly does that mean? A chatbot may be intelligent, but does it have a sense of self? And what would happen if it did? These are the kinds of strange, mind-bending questions Michael Pollan wrestles with in his new book, A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness. It's the kind of book that raises more questions than it answers. But as Silicon Valley continues to flirt with the idea of building artificial consciousness – of designing machines that don't just think, but feel – these are the kinds of questions we should probably start asking. Mentioned: A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness, by Michael Pollan Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan
Tom Holland On Our Christian World

The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2026 40:01


This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comTom is a historian, translator, and podcaster. He hosts with Dominic Sandbrook the most downloaded history pod in the world, “The Rest Is History.” He's the author of many books, including the two we discussed this week: Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic, and Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World. Those two erudite, beautifully written books made a huge impact on me.For two clips of our convo — on the paradoxical power of Christ's crucifixion, and the Christian roots of “secular” — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: growing up in Oxford and near Stonehenge; dinosaurs his first passion; how the past is more interesting than the present; Pontius Pilate; Cato; Caesar in Gaul and conquering Rome; Hegseth reveling in death; the war prayer at the Resolute Desk; Trump's pre-Christian values; Socrates; Paul the Apostle; turning the other cheek; agape; Christ's silence and withdrawal; logos; the Gospels; the Gnostic Gospels; the Book of Revelation; Exodus and Israel; martyred Christians in the arena; Augustine; the emergence of Islam; the Koran as the literal word of Allah; the Crusades; Pope Gregory VII making the Church sovereign; Machiavelli and mastering the secular; the Reformation; toppling idols; Nietzsche and the death of God; Marx; the Sexual Revolution; #MeToo; Dawkins and the New Atheists; the religion of wokeness; racism as a collective sin; Michael Pollan and “All You Need Is Love”; Fleming Rutledge's The Crucifixion; the awe of cathedrals; and the new wave of cultural Christianity.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Jeffrey Toobin on the pardon power, Derek Thompson on abundance, Tiffany Jenkins on privacy in a liberal democracy, Adrian Wooldridge on “the lost genius of liberalism,” Greg Lukianoff on free speech, and Tom Junod on his memoir and masculinity. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

Stay Tuned with Preet
Do Plants Think, and Other Mysteries (with Michael Pollan)

Stay Tuned with Preet

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2026 67:57


Author Michael Pollan joins Preet to discuss his new book, A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness, the “problem” of studying consciousness, psychedelics in therapy, and whether plants are sentient. They also break down whether artificial intelligence can be conscious and why we shouldn't want it to be. Then, Preet answers listener questions on possible insider trading ahead of Trump's Iran announcements. Also, a surprising influence on Brandi Carlile's songwriting. Spoiler Alert: it's Thomas Jefferson. In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Pollan discuss why you can't have life without death. Plus, whether it's possible to control our own thoughts.  Join the Insider community for access to bonus content from Stay Tuned and weekly episodes of the Insider podcast hosted by Preet and Joyce Vance. Head to cafe.com/insider to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.  You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE's Youtube channel and subscribe. Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront. Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Michael Pollan Returns (on consciousness)

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2026 129:42


Michael Pollan (A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness) is a science and environmental journalist. Michael returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss why choosing surrender is liberating in both psychedelics and life, what the “hard problem” of consciousness is and how we get to it, and how sentience serves homeostasis in living beings. Michael and Dax talk about asking what the world would be like without consciousness, the remarkable fact that plants can see, hear, and fight, and experimental evidence via the ginger test that disgust originates in the gut. Michael explains the qualitative redness of red, that there's so much more going on in consciousness besides computation, and what strange places to visit our minds are. Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | hp.com/SmartTankCheck Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Ezra Klein Show
Michael Pollan's Journey to the Borderlands of Consciousness

The Ezra Klein Show

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2026 88:12


Consciousness is this amazing, mind-bending riddle. It's the only thing any of us truly knows. We experience everything else in life through it. And yet we barely understand it. We don't know what it's made of or how it works or why it exists. But scientists and theorists have been trying to answer those questions, and have made some startling discoveries. The science writer Michael Pollan, known for books like “The Omnivore's Dilemma” and “How to Change Your Mind,” spent five years on the vanguard of this research. And his new book, “A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness,” shows that the closer you look at consciousness, the weirder it gets. I asked Pollan to walk through some of the places his mind wandered on this journey — including the role of the body and feelings in consciousness, fascinating studies that provide evidence for plant sentience, the researchers who have abandoned their old theories after trying psychedelic drugs, and the possibility that consciousness may not emerge from inside us at all. “I've entered this ‘never say never' realm with this research,” Pollan told me. Mentioned: “The Descriptive Experience Sampling method” by Russell T. Hurlburt and Sarah A. Akhter “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?” by Thomas Nagel The Hidden Spring by Mark Solms Descartes' Error by Antonio Damasio “The Oxford Handbook of Spontaneous Thought” by Kalina Christoff and Kieran C. R. Fox Book Recommendations: The Blind Spot by Adam Frank, Marcelo Gleiser and Evan Thompson Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann Being You by Anil Seth Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com. You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs. This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Kristin Lin. Fact-checking by Kim Freda. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota and Isaac Jones. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show's production team also includes Marie Cascione, Annie Galvin, Michelle Harris, Rollin Hu, Emma Kehlbeck, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joe Rogan Experience Review podcast
516 JRE Review of Michael Pollan

Joe Rogan Experience Review podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2026 47:38


Michael Pollan joins Joe Rogan for a wide-ranging conversation on psychedelics, plant intelligence, and the evolving relationship between humans and the natural world. Known for his work on food, consciousness, and the hidden systems shaping our lives, Pollan explores how substances like psilocybin are being used in therapeutic settings to treat depression, addiction, and trauma. The discussion dives into the science and experience of altered states, what happens to the brain during psychedelic journeys, and why these compounds may help people break out of rigid patterns of thinking. Pollan also shares insights into plant behavior and intelligence, challenging the idea that plants are passive organisms and highlighting their complex communication and survival strategies. This episode blends neuroscience, philosophy, and personal exploration, raising deeper questions about consciousness, healing, and the role psychedelics may play in the future of mental health. If you're curious about the mind, the power of nature, and the frontier of psychedelic therapy, this is a conversation worth exploring. Thanks to this weeks sponsors: Head to Chime.com/JRER Fee-free and smarter banking built for YOU Go to brooklynbedding.com and use my promo code JRER at checkout to get 30% off sitewide.  Go to HIMS dot com slash JRER for your personalized ED treatment options! For more Rogan exclusives support us on Patreon patreon.com/JREReview www.JREreview.com For all marketing questions and inquiries: JRERmarketing@gmail.com Please email us here with any suggestions, comments and questions for future shows.. Joeroganexperiencereview@gmail.com  

Science Weekly
What sets human consciousness apart from AI?

Science Weekly

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2026 21:29


Why is it like something to be ourselves and how do physical processes create our subjective experience? These questions get to the heart of the knotty problem of consciousness, and they provided the spark for the latest book from award-winning author and journalist Michael Pollan. In A World Appears, Pollan goes in search of answers about what we do and don't know about consciousness, and why it has proven such an elusive phenomenon. He tells Ian Sample how thoughts and feelings shape our conscious experience, whether we can learn anything about human consciousness from AI, and why he thinks our minds need to be defended in today's technology saturated world. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

How to Be a Better Human
How to understand your own consciousness (w/ Michael Pollan)

How to Be a Better Human

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2026 38:52


What is consciousness? Humans and animals have it, but do plants have sentience? These are the questions journalist Michael Pollan studies. Michael is the author of ten books on the relationship between food, consciousness, and psychedelics. Michael joins Chris to discuss why humans ruminate, how people should get comfortable with boredom, and whether we can really trust our own memories?Host & GuestChris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)Michael Pollan (Instagram: @michael.pollan | Website: https://michaelpollan.com/) LinksBuy Chris' book, Humor Me, at https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcLFor the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

City Arts & Lectures
Michael Pollan

City Arts & Lectures

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2026 73:20


This week, our guest is Michael Pollan, author of ten books including "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "How to Change Your Mind". Since the 1980s, Pollan has captivated readers on an array of topics, from the consequences of what we eat, to the history and contemporary use of psychedelics. Now, he's turned his eye towards what might be his biggest subject yet: consciousness. In his new book, "A World Appears", Pollan examines the nature – and very definition – of consciousness. From cutting-edge neuroscience, to conversations with spiritual practitioners, the book offers multiple perspectives on something as fundamental to our humanity as it is mysterious.On March 4, 2026, Pollan came to the Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco to talk to Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and director of the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab.

The Next Big Idea
Michael Pollan on Food, Psychedelics and His Next Book

The Next Big Idea

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2026 50:27


Last week, we hosted a members-only Q&A with Michael Pollan. We covered food and diet, his writing process, psychedelics, and dreams. We also got into the microbiome, which happens to be the subject of Michael's new book (and a topic he thinks will fundamentally change how we understand health). The conversation was so good that we thought, Why keep this to ourselves? The episodes we mentioned about the origins of life with Sara Imari Walker? You can listen to them here and here. And if you can't get enough of Michael — and who can? — here's our last interview with him. Watch The Next Big Idea on YouTube! You can find our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow Rufus on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠, subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠, or send us an email at ⁠podcast@nextbigideaclub.com⁠. We love getting fan mail. Sponsored By: Bitdefender — Get 30% off your plan at ⁠⁠bitdefender.com/idea⁠⁠ Fabric — Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family at ⁠⁠meetfabric.com/nbi⁠⁠ Factor — Head to ⁠⁠⁠factormeals.com/idea50off⁠⁠⁠ and use code idea50off to get 50% off your first box Granola — Get three months free at ⁠⁠granola.ai/idea⁠⁠ Shopify — Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/nbi⁠⁠⁠⁠

Slate Culture
Culture Gabfest - One Oscar After Another Edition

Slate Culture

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2026 62:53


On this week's show, Dana and Steve are joined by long-time FOP Isaac Butler (and author of the forthcoming book The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars.) They step into this week's cultural trenches by way of an animatronic beaver den in Pixar's Hoppers. Does the kooky eco-romp revive Pixar from its much-discussed slump? They discuss.Next, they step to the frontlines of middle-age malaise in the new HBO limited series DTF St. Louis, a sex comedy and meditation on male friendship mashed up with a murder mystery starring Jason Bateman, David Harbour, and Linda Cardellini.Finally, they debrief on the various battles for golden men in a recap and analysis of the 98th Academy Awards. Are the Oscars a real measure of artistic value? What do this year's ceremony and winners say about the state of cinema? Why are they so long? Your questions answered here.In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel takes up a recent excerpt from Michael Pollan's new book A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness.EndorsementsIsaac: An earlier instance of Jason Bateman playing sinister, the 2015 thriller The Gift, directed by Joel Edgerton. (Also, don't forget to pre-order The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars)Steve: The work of the recently deceased philosopher Jürgen Habermas. As a starting off point, read the Wikipedia page of his early work The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere. Dana: For more beaver-related slapstick, the exceedingly low-budget 2022 debut—produced for just $150,000— of director Mike Cheslik Hundreds of Beavers. ---Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slate Daily Feed
Culture Gabfest - One Oscar After Another Edition

Slate Daily Feed

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2026 62:53


On this week's show, Dana and Steve are joined by long-time FOP Isaac Butler (and author of the forthcoming book The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars.) They step into this week's cultural trenches by way of an animatronic beaver den in Pixar's Hoppers. Does the kooky eco-romp revive Pixar from its much-discussed slump? They discuss.Next, they step to the frontlines of middle-age malaise in the new HBO limited series DTF St. Louis, a sex comedy and meditation on male friendship mashed up with a murder mystery starring Jason Bateman, David Harbour, and Linda Cardellini.Finally, they debrief on the various battles for golden men in a recap and analysis of the 98th Academy Awards. Are the Oscars a real measure of artistic value? What do this year's ceremony and winners say about the state of cinema? Why are they so long? Your questions answered here.In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel takes up a recent excerpt from Michael Pollan's new book A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness.EndorsementsIsaac: An earlier instance of Jason Bateman playing sinister, the 2015 thriller The Gift, directed by Joel Edgerton. (Also, don't forget to pre-order The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars)Steve: The work of the recently deceased philosopher Jürgen Habermas. As a starting off point, read the Wikipedia page of his early work The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere. Dana: For more beaver-related slapstick, the exceedingly low-budget 2022 debut—produced for just $150,000— of director Mike Cheslik Hundreds of Beavers. ---Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ezra Klein Show
Consciousness is a mystery

The Ezra Klein Show

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2026 39:08


What is consciousness, really? We don't know. Scientists aren't sure. Philosophers can't agree. All we have is the fact that it feels like something to be you right now. Beyond that, human consciousness remains a complete mystery. Sean talks with Michael Pollan about his new book, A World Appears, which is about what we do and don't know about consciousness and why it continues to be one of the great miracles of nature. They get into why consciousness has proven so hard to define, whether the self is real or just a useful fiction, what psychedelics and meditation reveal about the mind, and why even serious neuroscientists are starting to question strict materialism. Along the way, they wander into plant intelligence, AI psychosis, ego death, and the unsettling possibility that not knowing might actually be the right place to land. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Michael Pollan, author of A World Appears (@michaelpollan) We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.com, or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. New episodes drop every Monday and Friday.Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Joe Rogan Experience
#2467 - Michael Pollan

The Joe Rogan Experience

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2026 149:28


Michael Pollan is an author and journalist whose books include “The Omnivore's Dilemma,” “In Defense of Food,” and “How to Change Your Mind." His most recent is “A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness."www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/646644/a-world-appears-by-michael-pollanwww.michaelpollan.substack.comwww.michaelpollan.com Perplexity: Download the app or ask Perplexity anything at https://pplx.ai/rogan. Get 30% off + 2 free gifts at https://ARMRA.com/rogan This video is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/JRE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

KERA's Think
Michael Pollan: Your guide to consciousness

KERA's Think

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 46:35


We often say that something has “a mind of its own,” but exactly is the consciousness we're referring to? Michael Pollan, author and both a Guggenheim and Radcliffe Fellow, joins host Krys Boyd to explore what we know about the mysteries of the conscious mind, the evolution of awareness, and ponder if A.I. could ever really know its deepest self. His book is “A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness.”   Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Good Life Project
Michael Pollan: Wake Up & Reclaim Your Attention

Good Life Project

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 42:05


Your mind is under siege. Every day, technology and noise fight to hijack your attention, leaving you feeling less present and more distracted than ever. In a word, unconscious.It's time to stop the scroll and reclaim the most precious thing you own: your consciousness. Learn how to build "consciousness hygiene" and protect the privacy of your own mind. Today we are joined by legendary author Michael Pollan. Michael is a ten-time New York Times bestseller and one of Time's 100 most influential people, known for his deep dives into food and psychedelics. He joins us to discuss his latest journey into the mystery of awareness, featured in his new book, A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness.We explore:The "Four-Second Gap": A startling discovery about how your thoughts actually enter your awareness before you even "think" them. Lantern vs. Spotlight: Why your childhood way of seeing the world is the key to unlocking creativity in adulthood. The Chemical Genius of Plants: The surprising way roots and leaves make "intelligent" decisions without a single neuron. Bioelectric Body Maps: Why trauma and memory might be stored in your cells rather than just your brain. The "Thief in the House" Exercise: A simple mental framework to instantly quiet the critical voice of the ego. We spend so much of our lives distracted, but you don't have to stay that way. Play this episode to learn how to be fully present for the life you're actually living.You can find Michael at: Website | Instagram | Episode TranscriptNext week, we're sharing a conversation with Anthony Klotz about why we quit, when to stay, and how to make wiser decisions when work just suddenly feels off, or relationships, or really just life.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Next Big Idea
THE LAST ECONOMY: How AI Will Change Everything in the Next 1,000 Days

The Next Big Idea

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 81:20


Here are just a few of the dizzying predictions Emad Mostaque makes in today's episode: "I think it's a good idea to borrow as much as you can right now because the entire economy is going to shift — you probably won't have to repay it." "Within a thousand days, the nature of your job will become economically irrelevant if you work in anything on the other side of a screen." "I don't think the big AI companies are going to survive the next few years." Emad co-founded Stability AI, the company behind the text-to-image generator Stable Diffusion, and he now runs Intelligent Internet, which builds open-source AI models. In his new book, The Last Economy, he argues that AI is about to make human intellect so cheap and abundant that the entire economic order — work, money, meaning — will crack apart. And he thinks this will take place within a thousand days. In this episode, he and Rufus talk about what happens if we sleepwalk into this, and what's possible if we don't. * * * The Next Big Idea Club is hosting a members-only Q&A with Michael Pollan on March 10 to discuss his new book, A World Appears. Join now for less than $9/month, and you'll get invitations to this and other virtual events, access to our chat community, reading guides, ad-free episodes, and tons of other goodies. Visit https://join.nextbigideaclub.com/ to learn more. Watch The Next Big Idea on YouTube! You can find our episodes ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Follow Rufus on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, subscribe to our ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠, or send us an email at ⁠podcast@nextbigideaclub.com⁠. We love getting fan mail. Sponsored By: Bitdefender — Get 30% off your plan at bitdefender.com/idea Fabric — Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family at https://www.meetfabric.com/nbi Factor — Head to ⁠factormeals.com/idea50off⁠ and use code idea50off to get 50% off your first box Granola — Get three months free at granola.ai/idea Shopify — Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/nbi⁠⁠⁠

Good Life Project
Thrive in an Empty Nest: The "Open Door" Strategy for Lasting Happiness | Gretchen Rubin

Good Life Project

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 47:26


Your kids leaving isn't an ending; it's an open door to a more intentional version of you. Many of us spend decades organizing our entire identities around our children, only to feel a staggering sense of loss when the house goes quiet.In this conversation, we explore why the term "empty nest" is so limiting and how to navigate the "forced reckoning" of midlife transitions without losing your sense of purpose.My guest is Gretchen Rubin, one of the world's most influential observers of happiness and human nature. She is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers including The Happiness Project and Life in Five Senses, and the host of the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast.What you'll discover in this episode:A simple linguistic shift that changes how you view your children's independenceThe "Book vs. Tree" personality framework that explains why you and your partner might be clashing over the futureA 30-second "identity test" to see if you are at risk for a rocky life transitionThe "Minimum Acceptable Contact" rule for keeping a healthy bond with adult children without oversteppingHow to use "clutter clues" to rediscover a passion you abandoned years agoIf you've ever felt like your world is shrinking as your children's worlds expand, this conversation offers the roadmap to reclaim your space and your joy. Press play to start your next chapter.You can find Gretchen at: Website | Instagram | Happier with Gretchen Rubin - Podcast | Episode TranscriptNext week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with Michael Pollan about the elusive nature of consciousness and why it is currently under siege. Michael shares why our awareness is the most precious thing we own and how we can reclaim our attention in an age of constant distraction.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coronavirus: Fact vs Fiction
The Miracle and Mystery of Consciousness

Coronavirus: Fact vs Fiction

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2026 27:29


Can modern science explain, or even define, the mystery of human consciousness? Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with writer Michael Pollan to talk about his new book, A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness, and explore the unmapped territory of our inner lives. They discuss where (and if) consciousness lives in the brain, whether plants and artificial intelligence can be conscious, and why we must protect our inner lives in an increasingly technological world.  Our show was produced by Jesse Remedios with assistance from Jennifer Lai. Medical Writer: Andrea KaneShowrunner: Amanda SealySenior Producer: Dan BloomTechnical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10% Happier with Dan Harris
Michael Pollan On: Reducing Rumination, Reclaiming Your Attention From the Machines, and MDMA-Assisted Therapy

10% Happier with Dan Harris

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2026 66:26


Plus, making the mundane sacred, meditating in a cave, and lowering the ego walls. Michael Pollan is the author of ten books, all of which were New York Times bestsellers. His latest book is A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness. In this episode we talk about: How to get over yourself How to reduce rumination How to lower the ego's walls How to elevate mundane tasks The value of what Zen practitioners call "don't know mind" How to reclaim your attention from Big Tech (what Michael calls the "colonizers of consciousness") The value of MDMA-assisted therapy Michael's experiences meditating in a cave Related Episodes: Don't Let This Crisis Go To Waste | Roshi Joan Halifax Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris  

Fresh Air
Best Of: The life and legacy of Fela Kuti / Michael Pollan on consciousness

Fresh Air

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2026 48:25


The Nigerian musician Fela Kuti used his music in the ‘70s as a weapon against colonial values and his country's brutal dictatorship. The danceable music and political lyrics inspired a youth movement. Award-winning podcaster Jad Abumrad talks with Terry about his podcast series, ‘Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.' Also, we hear from best-selling science journalist Michael Pollan. His new book ‘A World Appears' asks how technology is changing our consciousness. “Consciousness is under siege,” he says. “I think that it's the last frontier for these companies that want to sell our time and, of course, our time is our mind time.” Pollan also questions whether A.I. is capable of achieving consciousness.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Fresh Air
Michael Pollan's journey to understand consciousness

Fresh Air

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2026 45:39


Science journalist Michael Pollan has written extensively about the therapeutic benefits of mind-altering psychedelics. His new book, ‘A World Appears,' asks, what is consciousness? “Consciousness has kind of become the secular substitute for the soul,” he tells Terry Gross. Pollan also talks about current studies on consciousness and whether plants and artificial intelligence have consciousness. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Daily
'The Interview': Michael Pollan Says Humanity Is About to Undergo a Revolutionary Change

The Daily

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2026 38:09


The best-selling author grapples with big questions about A.I., consciousness and the distractions polluting our minds.Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.comWatch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastFor transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.